Swiftwater 10.5 Kayak (White/Blue)

I bought this kayak in the fall and haven't tried it out yet but when I got it I was very impressed for the price. I'm a small, older man and I wanted a kayak that was good for touring, light weight, a little narrow as I didn't need it very wide, which should give it a little more speed but loose a little stability. The hatch cover was very tight but that will lossen in time but it was large and looked water tight (will see). The seat looked somewhat hard and I would have liked a water bottle holder in it but I can live without that. I liked the way the seat back was ajustable. I also would have liked a little more bunge in the front but I might add that myself as I do tend to customize these things. I have on my other row boats. I intend to add more bunge, another oar holder, cleats and reflective strips to front and back. I'll get back to this review as I use the yak.Edit--- I have used this kayak about a half dozen times since my review so here are some thoughts. The seat is very comfortable for two or three hours, then it starts to get a little hard. Speed is OK but I find some of me friends with 12 foot kayaks are faster and their kayaks don't weigh any more then mine. Of course they spent more so I guess you get what you pay for. Tracking is not great but OK for a 10.5 kayak. Stabilty is not as good as I would like it to be but I wasn't looking for a fishing kayak. No more bunge is need, nor cleats and the reflective strips I put on was a wast. I think if I had to do it over again I would go for a 12" kayak that was a little more stable with some bottom ribing.

I love this boat. It is my first kayak purchase and I would definitely recommend it to a beginner like myself. My boyfriend has been kayaking for well over a decade now and coached me on what brands and styles to shop for. He was really skeptical about me buying a boat online...mad actually, that I bought one this way. However, he said I did great and he totally approves of this kayak. He has a Dagger 10.5 (about $700) and this Perception Swiftwater is very similar when they are side by side. Differences are: his boat has a drop skeg and probably a nicer seat. Mine is an inch or two more narrow in width.I plan to use this boat recreationally, mostly on rivers with class 1 & 2 rapids (or just flat) and lakes.They say 1 to 2 months for delivery, and I would definitely keep their estimate in mind, but I got mine in 3 weeks. And it was packaged quite well. Wrapped in a big plastic covering and then wrapped again in a blue bubble-wrappy type material. There was not one scratch or defect of any kind on this boat.

This Kayak is awesome! The hatch seems to keep water out pretty well and the seat is very comfortable. The only negative thing I have to say about his kayak is its kind of heavy and its tracking in the water could be better. However, all in all the kayak is a well rounded boat for the money. I don't have any regrets!

I'm by no means an expert paddler, this is my first boat, but I've enjoyed using it to this point. I'm still trying to get the proper seat position sorted out and have had a couple of close calls with my balance, but I'm pretty sure they would have been rather wet incidences if the boat hadn't been as stable as this one.I noticed it has a little difficulty tracking, but that is, in part, due to my having a paddle that is too long. I've been told by other, more experienced kayakers, that the shallow, wide draft of the boat also is part of the reason why it doesn't stay consistently on course.I should note that, to this point, I've only used the boat on a lake in relatively calm water.All in all, I'm quite pleased with the boat and am excited to use it again.

This is my second Kayak. Bought it from Dicks Sporting goods for $250 less than the price on Amazon. To review:Very comfortable. The seat is great and I love the Perception Sport style seats. They are adjustable except I have heard the seats make it hard to roll. I haven't learned this skill yet so I cannot testify to that. The watertight hatch in the back is plenty big. It is a little hard to get off but then again that is also a good thing, just not when your turned around and need something when your on the water.My previous boat was flat on the bottom. This made it very impractical to go long distances, as I tried. This boat is more rounded, yet still stable enough to keep you dry. I would recommend getting a longer boat if you plan on going faster, but you will sacrifice stability and maneuverability. I have taken this boat twice on 14 mile trips. Due to the Indiana drought in 2012, this limited my time to use it as much as I wanted but the two trips were nice. Also a very good boat on the lake.I would say this is a great beginners boat, as well as a great addition if you just want a shorter style boat. It's nice to have a variety of Kayaks to do a variety of things. If only you have a wife who will let you buy them, that is a major step.The Kayak has foot rests. This helps you control the boat more. No Kayak holders but you can buy mounts to hold them if your that lazy to put it inside your boat.Please don't spend $700 or even $600 on this boat. Go to a sporting store, sit in it, think about what your going to do with it, figure out where your going to go with it, how often, and get yourself a good kayak. This is definitely one of them.

My friend went the cheap route with a $225 Pelican kayak. He took his out a few times before I was able to go with him. His is lighter, with a MUCH smaller bulkhead and sat ALOT lower in the water which made it much slower and harder to paddle. He's already purchased on of these for himself and given the other to his fiancee' who will use it probably twice a year. Kayak was very stable on lake Ponchartrain in 1.5 foot waves and great for getting over submerged logs in the bayous. Spend a few buck and get something nice!

I bought this for my fiance for his birthday and we are VERY impressed! He LOVES it!! Cargo area in the back has lots of room for supplies and has an air-tight seal on it so the things inside will stay dry! perfect length and just perfect overall. Buyers, you cannot go wrong with the purchase of this kayak!!

I bought two of these kayaks one for my wife one for myself so far we love them